SB 5184 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning minimum parking requirements.

Senate Bill 5184 limits the minimum parking requirements that cities and code cities in Washington state can impose on new construction projects. It caps required parking at 0.5 spaces per multifamily dwelling unit, one space per single-family home, and two spaces per 1,000 square feet of commercial space. The bill also eliminates all minimum parking requirements for specific categories, such as affordable housing, senior housing, child care centers, and smaller residential or commercial spaces. These changes directly affect developers, residents, and local governments, though cities with populations of 30,000 or less are exempt, and exceptions can be made for safety concerns or areas near major airports.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Signed May 7, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Substitute Bill → Substitute Passed Legislature · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly reduces mandatory parking requirements for cities, counties, and code cities in Washington State to lower housing costs and encourage walking. It lowers commercial parking ratios, expands exemptions for small businesses and affordable housing, and adjusts population thresholds for when these rules apply. The changes aim to make development more affordable and reduce reliance on cars.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of exemptions to include smaller commercial spaces (under 3,000 sq ft) and specific mixed-use building types, while raising the population threshold for cities and counties subject to these new rules from 20,000 to 30,000.

REQUIREMENT

Increased the maximum required parking for commercial spaces from one space per 1,000 square feet to two spaces per 1,000 square feet.

Changed residential parking limits to require 0.5 spaces per multifamily unit or one space per single-family home, replacing the previous blanket rule.

Added new provisions allowing cities and counties to require extra parking for religious organizations and carpools, and to enforce temporary or time-restricted parking.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new exemptions for child care centers, ground-level nonresidential spaces in mixed-use buildings, and buildings changing from nonresidential to residential use.

Raised the population threshold for cities and counties subject to these parking limits from 20,000 to 30,000 residents.

TIMELINE

Established specific implementation deadlines: 18 months for populations over 50,000 and three years for populations between 30,000 and 50,000.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2025 · House Apr 11, 2025

How they voted

42–8

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 51

Feb 19, 2025

D Democratic31

28 Yea 2 Nay 1

90% Yea

R Republican20

14 Yea 6 Nay

70% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 7, 2025

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Apr 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 36; nays, 13; absent, 0; excused, 0.

upper

Apr 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate concurred in House amendments.

upper

Apr 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee amendment(s) adopted as amended.

lower

Apr 11, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (65-32-3)

house

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

LG - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

upper

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors